Development of Academic Achievement for Adolescents from Different Socioeconomic Backgrounds: The Mediating and Moderating Role of Self-control.

Abstract

Parental socioeconomic status (SES) influences adolescent academic achievement. The literature offers two competing hypotheses on the role of self-control in the relation between parental SES and adolescent academic achievement. The vulnerability hypothesis states that low parental SES is related to lower self-control, which makes the adolescent vulnerable, because low self-control negatively affects academic achievement. The temperamental protection hypothesis purports that high self-control can work as a protective factor for adolescent academic achievement in the context of low SES. This study pitted both hypotheses against each other using three measurement waves from the Tracking Adolescents’ Individual Lives Survey (TRAILS). Participants took part between ages 10 and 17 (2001-2008; N = 2230). Linear regression analyses tested the two hypotheses cross-sectionally and longitudinally. Contrary to our expectations, we found no support for either hypotheses. This lack of findings and theoretical implications are discussed in light of development.